Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-10-03
Our Public Building

NC III relatiFe 10 tnls structure. Our readers
are we'll aware that the Treasury Depart
ment on the first Gay of July issued an in.
vitation for sealed proposals to build the
superstructure of this building. Those pro-
posals were opened; there were several bid.
ders; the HallOwell Granite Company was
found to be the lowest bidder; when, 10, and
behold, the Treasury Department decided
that the building should not be built by con-
tract, but that it should be built in another
way; namely, advertise for proposals for ma
terial, and do the work by the day, under the
supervision of MIR. Thomas Lambsrd. These
bids were made; they were opened on the
9th of September; the Hallowell Granite
Company was not the lowest bidder, but Col.
l. S. Bangs, staunch republican, was. The
Maine and New Hampshire Granite Com
pany, composed entirely of democrats, which
bid before, bid 81 900 higher than the Halle
well Granite Company. Now it turns out
that the Treasury Department cannot accept
these BIDS and asks for others. Is this COM
mon fairness? Does it show business capaci-
ty and foresight? If the Treasury Depart
ment is determined that no person shall do
this work unless he be democrat, have
tinue to ask for proposals., and then reject
them because the lowest bidder happens to be
republican.
Gentlemen, there have been some grevous
and serious errors made about this building,
and we dc not propose to let the those who
are responsible escape. The fret great mis-
take was when Mr.. E C.Allen, Mr.. L. B Fow.
Ter, and Others, signed letter to the Treasury
Department, which was positive libel upon
prominent business men of this State, and
which, stripped of its subterfuges, simply
meant that the building must be placed in the
hands of the democrats, in order that it may
be used for political purposes. A proposition
which was q declaration that man, in order to
receive q contract, although he had to bid in
open market to obtain it, must be q
democrat; proposition asking the Secretary
of the Treasury virtually to say, if the lowest
bidder happers to be a republican, he cannot
receive the award it was a proposition which
said,-let US repeat here the letter of these
gentlemen: circumstances here are such
that we are satisfied if the work is done by
contract, it will go into the hands of parties
hostile to the present administration, and re-
suit in political jobbery, instead of being kept
under the control of men who desire to pro
mote the best public interests" This was a
direct charge upon the business integrity Of the
Hallowell Granite Company; 4 charge which
should cause the gentlemen who signed this
letter to blush; charge which Mr.. Allen
and Mr.. Fowler ought to apologize for, be-
cause it 10 one which they knew to be false
when they made it.
We are content to leave our democratic
friends in the muddle in which they have
placed themselves, but we wish to say one
thing about the finishing of this building. We
protest, as we believe every citizen will,
against this building being so built as to be a
disgrace instead of an ornament to the city.
We believe that superintendent Lambard
will protest with all his power against per
hitting this building TO be built OF dark
granite it is question of taste. The base
msnt and sub-ba.ement have been built Of
light granite; now to build the superstructure
of dark granite would be a good deal like
dressing gentleman in black dress suit,
and putting upon his feet white shoes. A
man with his boots nicely BACKED looks well
in light suit but he never looks presentable
dressed in black suit and light shoes. This
building, if built entirely of dark granite,
would have been an ornament,
but to permit the basement and
sub basement to be constructed of light
granite, and the remainder of dark granite,
is a mistake, that no architect dare aesume
the authority of making. There is plenty of
good granite in Maine, just as good as the
Hallowell Granite Company owns, which can
be obtained, and this building can be built and
made an ornament to the city. We have
great respect for Col. Lsmbard; We know
that he is man Of taste, and we say to him
that the citizens of Augusta, irrespective of
party, are looking to him to see to it that a
building is put here which shall be an
ornament to our city. and not stand as an
monument of lasting shame and disgrace
bubble as you will, gentlemen, about who
shall build this building; place it in demo
cratic hands if you must, of that we will not
complain, but do build building of which
we shall all be proud.